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Are you ready for the action. Top T20 teams from around the world will be seen in action this December. South Africa, Pakistan, India, England and Australia will see their top players in action. Interestingly players from South Africa and Australia will be representing their India teams rather their own home teams. Interesting dynamics will be in action come December. Don’t miss all the action as top T20 teams clash for this year’s Champions League Trophy.  Southern cities Chennai and Bangalore and Mumbai will be hosting the matches. 

It is now well known that A.R. Rahman will wield the music baton for composing the theme anthem of Champions League Twenty 20. It is to be noted that there will be no lyrics in the anthem and the ace music director will capture the emotions of cricket solely through his music. At a time when expectations are rife over his composition, yet another news pours in that Rahman has been signed up to compose the anthem of the Commonwealth Games that is to be held in New Delhi in the year 2010. Well,

This was confirmed by the CSK management. Fleming will both coach and play for the team. Kepler Wessels is no longer a coach for Chennai Super Kings.

Stephen Fleming is interested in being a player-coach for the Chennai Super Kings. He has indicated his interest to the management to this effect. Stephen Fleming is credited with a super cricketing brain. He has taken his team to two semifinals in two world cups. He is a master strategist and is known to exploit the weaknesses of opposing teams.

India

Rajasthan Royals
Chennai Super Kings

South Africa

Pretoria Titans
KwaZulu Natal Dolphins

Australia

Western Australian Warriors
Victoria Bush Rangers

UK

Middlesex

Pakistan

Sialkot Stallions

Chennai Super King star and Australian batsman recent statement attributing his teams slow over rate against India to the “usual third world problems” had Wasim Akram of Pakistan fuming.

Akram said  “India is a superpower now; it is a hundred years ahead of Australia, which is no more than a village, as compared to India. You don’t blame sightscreens for poor over rates. Even Allan Border was critical of Australian tactics on the pitch.”

Well, well, well.

After suffering a stinging 2-0 loss, skipper Ricky Ponting was gracious in defeat accepting the blame and giving full credit to India for being the better side, but others who didn’t so well in series are offering the usual excuses and worst so far has come from Mathew Hayden.

He has blamed the slow over rate that plagued Australia at Nagpur

- on the frequent movement behind and in front of the side screens,

- Indian batsman taking a lot of time to face-up

The usual problems that happen in third world countries - He said.

It’s the qualifying statement that has riled BCCI and many Indians.

I don’t think any India,  basking in the after glow of defeating the mighty Australians (even if they are not so mighty right now) 2-0 in a Test Series and more recently having successfully sent a Moon satellite - the Chandrayaan  - would be very feeling third worldish right now.

We feel right on top of the world Mr. Hayden. We are among the handful of countries that has achieved rare honor of sending a Lunar Probe, yeah that’s right. Our scientists are right on top of the game as far as space technology goes.

To all Indians. Please don’t start thumping your chests and start dragging Hayden through the mud for his comments.  Like all first worlder’s he can’t see beyond his own nose. Even if his comments are in bad taste he has a point.

It is fact that a large proportion of our citizens don’t have access to the basic necessities in life. Our literacy is low and poverty levels are high. Our people don’t have access to clean drinking water and electricity. Many of our children don’t go to school, instead they work often in dangerous conditions. We still are a third world country even if the chips chomping, cola-guzzling, sofa-lounging, cricket-watching BPO and software guys and the middle classes don’t feel so. Let’s accept it.

But I don’t see how our poverty, our illiteracy, our poor, our lack of electricity and water and all our third world problems has affected Mathew Hayden and co. in bowling lesser number of overs than they are supposed to. I just fail to see the connection between their slow over-rate and third world conditions.

Maybe Mr. Hayden can provide the answers. Maybe, seeing the grinding poverty of our citizenry has temporarily paralyzed Mathew and co from bowling their quota of overs.

I know we are third world Mr. Mathew Hayden. We do face major problems. We know it. That’s what make our victories all the more sweet. Knowing that in spite of our many problems we can still send a lunar probe to Moon.  Knowing that grinding poverty and lack of basic facilities are not reason enough to wallow in misery but to rise above them and achieve the greater goals that we know we are capable of.

Mr. Hayden you may be right in calling us Third World but all I can say about you Sir, is that you are a sore loser. Better luck next, time.

P.S. : I know what Australia is all about, I lived there for a year.  But, I am too polite to tell you.

Shaun Pollock has had enough of cricket. He wants to bid farewell to all forms of cricket including IPL. Though he signed up with IPL his contract is only for a year and now he doesn’t think he will ever want to come back. Mumbai Indians are in a tizzy though. They want him back desperately and are trying to convince the South African all rounder to reconsider his decision.  Let’s wait and watch what Shaun has to say about this.

Sayyed Iqbal Abdulla – A Player of IPL Kolkata Knight Riders is a notout batsman.

Sayyed Iqbal Abdulla, is popularly known as Iqbal Abdulla. He is an upcoming youngster with ample potential to be a member of national squad.

Sayyed Iqbal Abdulla was born on December 2, 1989 in Bombay or present Mumbai of Maharashtra State, India.

Iqbal Abdulla is an all rounder. Though he is a dependable low order batsman but he is recognized for his orthodox slow spin bowling.

He bowls with left-arm and bats with left hand.

Iqbal Abdulla is an established cricketer of Mumbai club circuit. He plays as a member of Mumbai team for

1. Ranji Trophy
2. Indian Greens
3. Challenger Trophy and

also plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, a franchise of Indian Premier League.

Sayyed Iqbal Abdulla’ Cricket Career:

Iqbal Abdulla got into glare of public eye while playing against Haryana in Twenty20 format. He swept Haryana batting side with his excellent bowling

performance. He took five wickets in this match.

Iqbal Abdulla’s excellent performance against Haryana, has opened threshold for him to International competitions. He was selected for Indian U-19s for a

tri-series against Sri Lanka. In this series he was the third-highest wicket-taker with eight wickets for 69 runs in 31.1 over

His ten wickets at 13 apiece played an important role in India U-19s winning the World Cup in Malaysia in 2008 (?).

Iqbal Abdulla’s First Class Matches Record.
His debut to first class match was for Mohammad Nissar Trophy, played between Karachi Urban v Mumbai for 2007/08 season. The match was played at National

Stadium, Karachi, during September 2007. It was a four day match. The match was drawn
In this match he batted only for one innings contributing 6 runs and remained not out. In both the innings he bowled 46.5 over conceding 104 runs and took 3

wickets.
His last first class match was Ranji Trophy Super League - Group A. It was played between Himachal Pradesh and Mumbai for the season 2007-08 at Himachal

Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharmasala, on 17,18,19,20 December 2007. It was a 4 days match. The match was drawn.

In this match Iqbal scored 32 runs with six fours in first innings. His strike rate was 91.42. In the second innings he could not get chance to bat. In both

innings he bowled 49 over, conceding 97 runs and taking 3 wickets
Overall Performance in First Class Matches

In Batting

On the whole he played six first class matches. He batted in seven innings scoring 125 runs averaging 25 runs with strike rate of 70.76. In two innings he

remained not out. His highest score was 56 not out

In Bowling

In six first class matches he played, he got chance to bowl in all the 12 innings. He bowled 243.1 over conceding 596 runs taking 16 wickets. The bowling

economy rate was 2.45.

Iqbal Abdulla’s List ‘A’ Matches Record
Iqbal Abdulla’s List A debut match was against Saurashtra during 2006/07 season. It was an ODI match, played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on 14 February

2007. Mumbai won this match by 82 runs
In this debut match, he played at seven down and made 2 runs on facing 5 balls. He bowled 4 over giving away 23 runs. He could not get any wicket
Iqbal represented in List ‘A’ for last time in Vijay Hazare Trophy. It was a first semi final. The match was between Bengal v Mumbai played at Visakhapatnam

District Cricket Association Stadium, Visakhapatnam, on 7 April 2008. It was an ODI. The Bengal won the match by 4 wickets. .
In this match he came eight down, faced 12 balls and made 14 runs. His strike rate was 116.66. He bowled 8.4 over conceded 36 runs and took 1 wicket. His

economy rate was 4.15.
Overall Performance in a List ‘A’ Matches

Batting

He played total of eight List ‘A’ matches, out of which he batted in seven innings, scoring 61 runs averaging 20.33 runs with strike rate of 69.31. In four

of the innings he remained not out. His highest score was only 14, not out

Bowling

Overall he played in eight List ‘A’ matches. He got chance to bowl in seven innings. He bowled 57 over conceding 260 runs taking 12 wickets at the economy

rate of 4.56
Bowling averages

Iqbal Abdulla’s Twenty20 Matches Record

Iqbal’s Twenty20 debut was on April 3, 2007at Mumbai. It was in Inter State West Zone Twenty20 Tournament of 2006-07 season . The match was between Baroda

and Mumbai. It was played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on 3 April 2007. The Mumbai had won by 8 wickets. He could not get chance to bat. However he bowled

3.1 over conceding 19 runs and taking 2 wickets
Iqbal’s last Twenty20 match was Indian Premier League - 35th match. The match was played between Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils at Eden Gardens,

Kolkata, on 13 May 2008. It was a day and night match. Kolkata Knight Riders won the match by 23 runs.
Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Iqbal faced two balls and made one and remained not out. He bowled 3 over giving away 22 runs. He could not get any

wicket.

Overall Performance in a Twenty20 Matches

Batting

He played in total eight Twenty20 matches in which he batted only in four innings scoring 18 runs with strike rate of 78.26. All the four innings he remained

not out. His highest score was only 10 and carried the bat.

Bowling

He played eight Twenty20 matches and bowled in all the eight innings. He bowled 27.1 over conceding 175 runs, taking 11 wickets at the economy rate of 6.44.

In one inning he took 5 wickets.